


500 Word Drabbles

by Aki_Aiko



Series: Drabbles [2]
Category: Friends, H2O: Just Add Water, I Love Lucy, Will & Grace
Genre: 500 Word Drabbles, AUs, Arranged Marriage, Character Death, F/M, Gen, Marriage, Mental Illness, Mermaids, Modern AU, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-16
Updated: 2015-07-26
Packaged: 2018-03-30 20:03:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3949912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aki_Aiko/pseuds/Aki_Aiko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Drabbles from various fandoms, because I want to keep writing but can't seem to commit to anything longer.  1.  The Avengers (MCU;  Au;  Tony) 2. Will and Grace (Will, Grace, platonic marriage)  3. Avengers (Thor, Loki, AU)  4. H2O: Just Add Water (Emma, Cleo, Rikki) 5. Friends (Emma Geller and Friends) 6. Friends (Phoebe/Mike, arranged marriage) 7. I Love Lucy (Lucy, Ricky, modern AU)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Shield Academy

**Author's Note:**

> In this AU, Shield is a private, elite high school run by Principal Nick Fury. Tony, whose trust fund and family business was stolen from him by Obadiah Stane when Howard Stark died, has been hired to teach computer science and to mentor to a bunch of hormonal teenagers (who may or may not be the cast of the X-Men sans mutation). It's got Tony/Pepper, Tasha/Clint friendship, and Thor/Jane, as well as the rest of the cast. There'll be other drabbles from this verse popping up from time to time.
> 
> I'll be adding new tags to the story with chapter. This whole thing will be multi-fandom, with a lot of BBC Sherlock but other fandoms, too.

Shield Academy, a great lumbering school just coming to view in Tony's window, was still a good ten minutes drive away. And even then, the driveway...dear god, the driveway. Tony half-suspected he'd need a passport just to get to the main parking lot.

He was jamming along to an AC/DC album when it suddenly cut off and was replaced with a soft spoken British voice. 

"Sir, you have an incoming call from a Mr. James Scoffold."

"Scoffold, Scoffold. Who the hell's that, Jay? I think I should know that name."

"Indeed, sir. He is one of Mr. Stane's lawyers."

"Fuck!" Tony's hand tightened on the wheel. "Jarvis, ignore him. The bastard just wants more blood. And put the music back on"

There was a moment of silence, then sound once more came pouring from the car's speakers. Tony reached over to wrench the volume up as loud as it would go, no matter what damage to his hearing it might cause. 

Goddamn Stane. Tony hadn't been involved with Stark Industries since his old man died, yet he still couldn't get Obie off his back. The man had stolen his Tony's own legacy away. He wasn't getting anything from Tony now, no matter how the lawyers piled up.

Tony smirked at the sight of the turnoff ahead. There was a security gate blocking the entrance to the driveway, complete with a little booth set up beside it.

"Hey there." He slid the sunglasses he wore down the slope of his nose and smiled at the blonde woman inside the booth. "Tony Stark. Your boss is expecting me."

He handed her his ID, waited while she checked him over, and returned it smartly to his jacket. "So...I'm new here. Maybe you could give me a tour of the place later."

She smiled at him. "Maybe I'll see you around, Mr. Stark." 

The gate hummed to life and began to part. Tony took one last sweep of the woman's body, then eased his way down the driveway. The lane. Hell, it was its own fucking highway. He could go 65 on this damn thing.

When he finally-finally!-crested the last hill, the main building of Shield loomed up above him, a sort neo-tech building trying it's best to look like an educational institution. Should've just stuck 'undercover cop' on the door and be done with it.

He parked his car and stepped out, pausing to look at the lush green fields which surrounded the area. Distanly, he could see a track field and a long stretch of bleachers. He knew from the brochures that there was a whole football field somewhere near but he couldn't see them from this vantage point.

The other cars around him were nice, well maintained, obviously owned by people with money. He'd built his own car, so it was awesome, but if Obie hadn't stolen his trust fund along with his company, he would have built a whole army of beautiful beasts.

He could have built his own empire.


	2. Will and Grace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Will and Grace, platonic marriage  
> Will and Grace get married. Set around S4 (?) after Nathan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Will and Grace. It's so ridiculous, I can't help but love it. My favorite pairing, besides platonic Will/Grace, is Will/Vince and Grace/Leo. I'm still in total denial about how the series ended but will address that in a different drabble later on.

Grace was eating the breakfast Will had made when he said, "We should get married," and spit a mouthful out onto the placemat as a result.

"What?" she gasped as Will moved to hover up the crumbs, including the ones on her plate.

"I'm serious. We already share an apartment. You spend my money, I complain to you about my lack of a sex life. All we really need is proper documentation.”

“Will, honey.” Grace took his hands in his. “If you’d asked me ten years ago, I might have said yes. But we’re grownups now. We can’t get married.”

“Oh, come on,” Will whined. “Give me one good reason why this isn’t a good idea-and don’t talk about being grownup, ‘cause only one of us is a grownup in this relationship and it ain’t you.”

“First off, you’re gay.”

“I could still date.”

Grace gave him a look. “Okay, how about the fact that I’m straight.”

“You could still date. What else?”

Grace opened her mouth. “Uhhh...wait. Aren’t you a lawyer? Doesn’t this count as fraud or something? I love you, Will, but prison isn’t exactly in my future plans.”

“Gracie.” Will gave her his best puppy dog eyes. “Marriage is between two people who love each other very much. Gay or straight, it doesn’t matter.”

"Well, gee, Mr. Congressman," Grace mocked. "You've got my gay marriage vote."

Will, much to Grace's horror, went to one knee-and suddenly the front door open, spilling their two friends inside. They both stopped short at the scene in front of them.

"Look, Jackie," Karen gasped. "Will's finally found himself a man."

Jack shrugged. "Meh. I guess when a guy gets desperate..."

Will stood. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Yeah," Grace added. "Karen, I thought you had some shopping to do. You know, at, like, CVS?"

Karen laughed. "Oh, no, honey. Pharmie's already cleaned that place out. But what's with this?" She waved her hand at them. "What's going on?"

"Yeah," Jack said, propping his chin on one hand and leaning forward. "You can tell us. We won't say a word, I swear."

Grace rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and I won't eat this bacon. This is really good, by the way,."

"Yeah, I used the oven and made sure to keep turning it so both sides-"

"Hey, Marys," Karen barked. "Get talking! Stan's waiting at home and I've got meds to take."

"Okay, fine. I asked Grace to marry me and she's being totally unreasonable about it."

"I am not!" Grace said around her mouthful of bacon. "I just refuse to be part of a sham marriage."

"It won't be a sham marriage." He paused, then sighed and reached for her napkin. "You've got egg on your face."

Grace squirmed as he dabbed at her face. He just stopped short of that old mom standby of spit on a t-shirt, but only because Grace managed to wrench herself away. They froze when they realized the other two had their judgey faces on.


	3. Avengers Shield Academy Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor, Loki
> 
> warnings: mental illness
> 
> Takes place within Chapter One Shield Academy AU. Loki found out he was adopted, confronted Odin, who had a heart attack and is now in a coma. Frigga sent Loki home with Thor because he was so obviously distressed and she didn't want Thor to neglect his own life in America while Odin slept. Unfortunately, Loki had a break down and is now in a mental hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first part of this, with the nurses, is based on a dream I had.

Loki saw his sitting behind the desk through the glass doors and his heart thumped hard in his chest. But was done here now and had no desire to stay-no mortal could frighten him, anyway. When Loki left the library and passed through the little room, the nurse smirked at him.

“I told you we got you.” His words were out of sync with his mouth, giving them a weird, mechanical quality that didn’t match the annoyed look in his eyes.

Loki glared but sat the two paperbacks on the desk and took the cup of pills (anti-psychotics and mood enhancers), each sitting briefly on his tongue before he knocked them back with the second little cup filled with water. Then he took the one of the books in both hands and brought it down in a sharp arc onto the nurse’s head.

As the man reeled back, another nurse, who’d been standing quietly in the corner, leapt forwards. Loki grinned. It took him only a moment to take him down. Once both men were down, he smashed the button to let himself out into the hallway, where two more nurses were already waiting for him.

Loki’s hand twitched, useless.

This would have been over much quicker had he access to his magic. Instead, he was forced to barrel into the newcomers. These men might have been built more along the lines of Thor but Loki’d had centuries of battle behind him and once again was the only one left standing, though a slight sting at his neck made him pause. A needle, then. He put a hand to the wound with a grimace and tried to ignore the vertigo which quickly hit but only made it two steps forward before he fell to his knees and began to tilt sideways.

The world dimmed into blackness.

“Jesus,” someone said roughly from behind him.

+

When Loki woke up, he was strapped to his bed and Thor sat beside him.

“What are you doing here?” Loki asked. He didn’t bother turning his head to look at what he knew was Thor’s disappointed face.

“The doctor called.”

“I told them I didn’t want to see you.”

Thor’s large hand pressed against his brother’s cheek to slowly turn Loki to face him. “I will not be turned away while you suffer.”

Loki hissed at him, pleased when Thor drew away, startled at his vehemence. “I am a grown man, Thor. You have no right to intrude on whatever plight you might imagine to have befallen me.”

“What happened?”

Wha...? Thor wasn’t supposed to ask that. It wasn’t in the script they grew up with. Usually, it when Loki screwed up, no one ever asked why, just meted out punishment and let life go on. 

Trying to get reality back on track, Loki growled. “I have a weak grasp of reality, brother, what do you think happened?”

“You thought you were in that other place? That you were a god?”

“I am a god!”


	4. H2O: Just Add Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After graduating high school, Emma, mermaids Cleo, and Rikki decide to more thoroughly explore the ocean than ever before, which means swimming farther out than ever have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I was about 8 or 9, I saw Splash and bitterly regretted not being able to breathe underwater ever since. So, of course, I love this show, even into its third season when it lost a couple of cast members. Bella was okay, but I prefer Emma. And I would have liked Charlotte, but she turned into such a Mary Sue villain by the end. But-ahem-back to the fic. 
> 
> For this, Emma finishes school at home, Bella doesn't move to their neighborhood (but might have shown up later in the story), and all of the girls have come clean to their families about their mermaid status.

The three girls stood at the edge of the beach with their hands clasped together, each in their swimsuits. Not that their choice of clothing would matter once they hit the water. Cleo, standing in the middle, smile at her two friends, first Emma, then Rikki.

“Well,” she said. “Are we ready?”

“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Emma muttered.

Rikki rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on. Couldn’t you be a little more excited? We’re doing something that no normal person will ever get to do. Ever, Emma.”

“Come on, guys,” Cleo pleaded. “No fighting, okay? We need to be together on this.”

"She's right." Emma gave her other friend a small smile. "I'm sorry, Rikki."

"Me, too."

Cleo gave their hands a squeeze. "Great! Let's go, then."

She threw a last glance over her shoulder at the beach behind them, then stepped closer to the water, Emma and Rikki right beside her. They dove into the waves lapping at their feet. Cleo's body tingled with the change, as she went from a mere girl on the cusp of womanhood to a...a...girl on the cusp of fishhood?

She took a moment to revel in the flex of her tail, its fins fluttering with the movement, before turning to look at where Emma and Rikki were moving further away. Rikki paused to beckon Cleo forward. Nervous now, Cleo hurried to catch up.

This wasn't going to be a trip to the island. No, this time they were going out to sea, out into what would be, for them, uncharted territory. It was the unknown and it was exciting. But terrifying, too. What would they find out there? Would there be sharks? Fishing boats to dodge?

How far could they go?

The water farther out, deep under the surface, was heavy and cold, but in their mermaid forms felt nothing but natural. Even the feel of the water cycling through their lungs. The only thing that Cleo shied from was how they’d have to eat from here on out. Unless they went to land to eat, all the fish they caught would have to be eaten raw. She still hadn’t gotten used to that, even though they all had practiced before the journey just to shore up their courage.

Emma and Rikki began to surface after a while, slowly spiraling upwards. Cleo followed after them. Once her head broke into open air, she asked, “What’s up?”

“Nothing,” Rikki said. “Just thought we could do with a look back. It might be awhile before we see home again.”

Cleo gave her a confused look. “But we’re coming back.”

“Yeah, but...” She glanced at Mako Island.

Cleo looked at the place where they’d started out together and felt a pang of longing. The island was just as much a home as their actual home. In some ways, even more so. It held their most secret of secrets, something only a few knew and others would never find out. Cleo ducked under the waves again.


	5. Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma Gellar, age 15, travels from Paris alone to stay the summer with her Aunt Monica's family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's my head cannon that Ross gets on the plane with Rachel at the end and they stay in Paris, with yearly trips back home to spend time with friends and family left behind.

"Oh!" Rachel pressed a hand to lips and looked ready to cry. "My baby's grown up."

Emma, the 'baby' in question, rolled her eyes. "Mom. I've taken this trip every year since I was a toddler. How is this any different?"

Her father got in on the cooing, though he at least had the decency to keep it low-key. "This is different," he said as he straightened the collar of Emma's jacket, "because you'll be going by yourself this time. We won't be there if anything go wrong."

"What could possibly go wrong?"

Ross gave a nervous laugh. "Oh, I don't know...planes get high-jacked all the time."

"Dad!"

Rachel's face crumpled and she clutched Emma to her, squishing the teen's face against her chest.

"I didn't say it would get high-jacked...just that the odds..."

"Ross, would you shut up?" Rachel finally snapped. She jerked around to glare at him, yanking Emma around with her. “You do not get to scare our daughter like that.”

"Mom. It's fine." Emma batted at Rachel's arm until she loosened her chokehold around Emma's neck.

"I just worry about you." 

Emma gave her parents one last kiss behind and hurried for the plane. As it took off, leaving Paris behind, she felt a stab of homesickness. She'd never left her parent at home before. But at least she'd get to see her family again. Every year, all three of the Gellers would take the flight back to the states and stay the summer-except for that one year that they all agreed would never be spoken of again.

She'd get to see Aunt Monica and Uncle Chandler and their kids. Uncle Joey would most likely be there, too. He never missed a chance to see his favorite girl. Aunt Phoebe and Uncle Mike wouldn't be there this year. Something about tea leaves. 

A whole fleet of people was waiting for at the gate. Uncle Joey had a sign, which he waved at her with enthusiasm. Monica took the opportunity to break rank and ran for it. She swept Emma into her arms and squeezed, using all that freakish upper arm strength into the hug until Emma sounded a tea kettle wheeze.

“There’s my girl,” Joey called out when she neared him. He’d let his hair go gray years ago but the shade of it was still a striking contrast to his tanned skin. She’d shown her friend Gwen a picture of him once from a soap magazine and she’d called him a ‘silver fox’.

No. Just, no. This was the guy who used to change her diapers. He put them on backwards more than once, but still...no. Maybe if they weren’t pseudo-related. But he was Uncle Joey, so no.

“Oh, my gosh,” Erica gasped when Emma reached her and Jack. “I’m so excited you’re here. It’s like we haven’t seen you in years.”

“We saw each other last summer,” Emma said.

“No,” Jack said before Erica could respond. “That’s not six months. Hey, Emma. How’s Paris?”


	6. Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phoebe/Mike. Arranged Marriage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like this pairing. It's a shame it came so late in the series. We hardly get any time to see them together. These sitcom drabbles have wound up having more dialogue than action.

"Hey, Pheebs," Chandler said as their friend flopped into the chair next to the cafe's oh-so-comfy couch. “What’s wrong?”

“I got this in the mail.” She held out a manila envelope, which Monica took from her with a puzzled expression on her face.

“Phoebe,” she sputtered. “This is a marriage certificate.”

“I know! Can you believe it?”

“Why didn’t you put in for an extension?”

“I thought I did. The guy on the phone said-”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Monica said. “What guy on the phone? Who did you talk to?”

“You know, that guy. The 800 number guy. The hot one.”

“Oh, my god! Phoebe, that’s not the Marriage Office, that’s a matching service. A really tacky one, too.”

Chandler suddenly leaned forward and plucked one of the pages from Monica’s hand. “So is this the new Mr. Buffay? He’s cute.” He paused to rethink his last words, then cleared his throat. “In a totally manly, platonic, guy-bonding sort of way.”

“Yeah, you’re masculine,” Phoebe snapped. “We get it.”

"Chandler," Monica said in a wheedling tone, "how did your parents get together? Random matching?"

Chandler let out a short laugh. "Funny story. They actually got drunk, had sex, and nine months later...marriage" He sighed. "Ah, true love."

“Hey...” Monica glanced from the picture to the cafe’s front door and back again. “I think that’s him over there.”

They all swiveled towards the door where a dark-haired guy stood awkwardly at the door, obviously looking for someone. Phoebe ducked behind the back of her chair.

“Oh, my god,” Phoebe muttered. “He can’t see me.”

“Mike, over here,” Monica blurted out, then clapped a hand over her mouth with a horrified look on her face.

“Monica,” hissed Phoebe.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know why I-”

The guy was at their spot, eyes on his new bride. “Um, hi. Are you Phoebe?”

Phoebe stood, flustered, and took a moment to look him over. He was kind of cute, with a shy smile and expressive eyes that looked at her full of hope. She held out a hand, which he took in a warm, strong grip.

“Sorry,” she said. “The name’s Regina. Regina Phalange.”

“Phoebe!” Monica stood and nudged Chandler to stand. “I’m sorry. My friend’s just nervous. We’ll just leave you two to talk.”

She made to sit in the opposite chair but, at a look, from her own husband, sighed and veered towards the front door instead. Phoebe smiled nervously and sat back down. Mike (Mike Hannigan, her mind supplied) sat on the couch in the spot nearest to her.

“Soooo...again, hi. I’m Mike. You did get the notice, right?”

“Oh, no, right. I did. Just now, in fact, so, you know.”

The awkwardness between the two was obvious even from a distance. Monica winced in sympathy from where she had her face pressed against the cafe window. 

“You don’t think this is just a bit creepy?” Chandler asked, a fond grin on his face, and kept a hand on her elbow.


	7. I Love Lucy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Modern AU.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't get to 500 words on this one. Maybe I'll make up the difference later.

Lucy snuggled up to where her husband sat watching TV-the news with the sound turned off-and waved a magazine under his nose.

“Ah, honey, no,” Ricky moaned. “Not another stupid quiz.”

“It’s not stupid, it’s Cosmo.” Lucy made a face. “C’mon, Ricky. For me.”

“Fine. What is it this time? Are you a happy, peppy couple?”

“No! Of course not.”

“Well, what is it, then?”

“ ‘Are you a dynamic duo?’ “

Ricky laughed, nearly displacing the red-head on his lap. “See. I told you. Those quizzes are all the same, anyway.”

“But Fred and Ethel took it...”

“Well. If Fred and Ethel took it.” He took the magazine from her hand and looked at the page she’d kept the paper folded to. “What is your favorite color? Is this a quiz or a test?”

“Oh, hush. My favorite color is red.” She gave Ricky a look and nudged him for an answer.

“Blue. My favorite color is blue.”

“Hmm.”

“What? Is that bad?”

“Well, it’s not the same, so...”

“What’s the next question?”

“What’s your sign?”

Ricky grabbed at the paper. “That’s such a cliche, that’s can’t be on there. Oh. Never mind. And I don’t know my sign.”

“You’re an Ares, dear. And you’d know I was a Leo if you just let me come sing at your club.”

“Why, are you going to roar at the crowd?”

Lucy swatted at him. “Who was your first love?” 

Her overly affectionate look made Ricky squirmed. He coughed into his hand, then said, “You, of course.”

“Ricky...”


End file.
